Bologna and Shakhtar Donetsk will meet on Wednesday, 18 September, in the first round of the new Champions League edition.
Will Bologna find their first win of the season in this game or will Shakhtar spoil their return to the elite after 60 years? Find that out and more from our Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction, but remember to also take a peek at our other Champions League betting tips.
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Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk prediction: A close duel with goals by both teams
Key stats
- We saw both teams score in the last two games played by Shakhtar, in which we also saw a total of 14 goals.
- Bologna have yet to win a game this season after four games played in Serie A.
- Shakhtar Donets have won five of their last seven games in all competitions.
Correct score prediction: Bologna 1-1 Shakhtar Donetsk
While Bologna are a good team, they've started this season slowly, while Shakhtar are in good form and used to playing away from their home ground, which is why we can see them avoiding a loss in Italy and expect the game to end in a 1-1 draw.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Bookies backing up Bologna
- HOME: 17/20 (1.85) – 54.10%
- DRAW: 12/5 (3.40) – 29.40%
- AWAY: 16/5 (4.20) – 23.80%
We can see from these Bologna vs Shakhtar Donetsk odds that the hosts are the expected winners, but not by a huge margin, which is understandable given their form at the start of this season.
After all, Bologna are still without a win this season, while Shakhtar Donetsk are in good form and have a lot more experience when it comes to European competitions.
Anyhow, if you want to check out more of our predictions and picks, take a closer look at our favourite betting tips for today.
Most recent H2Hs: First time to meet
This will be the first-ever duel between Bologna and Shakhtar and it will also be the first time that Bologna will meet with a team from Ukraine. Meanwhile, Shakhtar Donetsk have played Italian teams many times before and they have a record of 7-5-20 against them.
Bologna preview: Hoping to notch their first win of the season
With three draws and one loss in the first four rounds of Serie A, Bologna are far from their form of last season, which secured them a place in the Champions League and, thanks to the new format of the elite European competition, at least eight games against prominent European teams.
Meanwhile, Oussama El Azzouzi, Nicolo Cambiaghi, and Lewis Ferguson remain on the sidelines with injuries.
Predicted lineup: Skorupski (GK), Posch, Beukema, Lucumi, Miranda, Freuler, Orsolini, Aebischer, Moro, Ndoye & Castro
UEFA Champions League 02/10/24
L
Liverpool
2
Bologna
0
Italy Serie A 28/09/24
D
Atalanta
1
Bologna
1
Italy Serie A 22/09/24
W
Monza
1
Bologna
2
UEFA Champions League 18/09/24
D
Shakhtar Donetsk
0
Bologna
0
Italy Serie A 14/09/24
D
Como
2
Bologna
2
Shakhtar Donetsk preview: Relying on their experience against Bologna
Unlike their opponents who have rarely played in European competitions in their history, Shakhtar Donetsk have been an integral part of the Champions League in the last couple of decades. The Ukrainian team can thus enter this game with confidence, especially since they've been doing well recently with five wins in their last seven games across the board.
Another positive for Shakhtar ahead of this duel is their clean bill of health, with Tymur Puzankov the only player who's questionable.
Predicted lineup: Riznyk (GK). Konoplya, Franjic, Bondar, Pedrinho, Bondarenko, Kyrskiv, Sudakov, Zubkov, Sikan & Kevin
UEFA Champions League 02/10/24
L
Atalanta
3
Shakhtar Donetsk
0
Ukraine Vyscha Liga 27/09/24
D
FC Veres Rivne
1
Shakhtar Donetsk
1
Ukraine Vyscha Liga 23/09/24
W
Obolon Kyiv
0
Shakhtar Donetsk
4
UEFA Champions League 18/09/24
D
Bologna
0
Shakhtar Donetsk
0
Ukraine Vyscha Liga 14/09/24
W
Karpaty Lviv
2
Shakhtar Donetsk
5
Player to watch: Santiago Castro
The 19-year-old Argentine forward is one of Bologna's players for bright future, but he's already been contributing to the team and has a goal and an assists in the first four Serie A games. Castro will be looking to prove himself on the biggest stage too, so he's your player to watch against Shakhtar Donetsk.
